This invention relates to domestic cooking appliances with lift-up cooktops and more specifically to a mounting arrangement for such lift-up cooktops.
Lift-up cooktops for domestic ranges are well known. Such cooktops are particularly common with gas ranges to permit access to the area beneath the cooktop to clean up spill-overs. Such cooktop may include an integrally formed upswept backsplash section which projects up from the rear of the main cooking surface area of the cooktop. One arrangement known in the art for pivotally mounting the cooktop involves simply providing a fixed pivot or hinge structure at the top edge of the upswept section. Such an arrangement is satisfactory provided a sufficient clearance exists proximate the uppermost extension of the upswept section to permit such pivotal movement. However, it may be desirable from an appearance and convenience standpoint to provide a structure in which the upswept section is set back relative to an overhanging control panel. In such an arrangement a gap between the upswept section and the bottom of the overhanging control compartment would be unsightly.
An alternative known in the art to address this problem involves a fixed pivot point at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical sections of the cooktop. This arrangement is satisfactory, provided there is sufficient clearance behind the upswept section to accommodate rearward tipping of the upswept section as the cooktop is moved to its raised position. However, in the interest of maximizing the area of the horizontal cooking surface, it may be desirable to locate the upswept section such that the space behind this section is insufficient to accommodate the rearward tipping movement of the upswept section.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved mounting arrangement which permits the upper edge of the upswept section to fit closely against any overhanging structure to substantially close off any vertical gaps therebetween when the cooktop is in its lowered position and at the same time not require any space behind the upswept section to accommodate rearward movement of the upswept section.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting arrangement for lift-up cooktops which requires no gap for vertical clearance between the upper edge of the upswept section of the cooktop and any overhanging structure, and which requires no space behind the upswept section to accommodate rearward movement thereof as the cooktop is moved to its raised position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting arrangement of the aforementioned type in which the cooktop is easily removable from the range.